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One second was all the ani for the bat, fingers outstretched

"No!" Ellie brought the Savage down like that huge ha the bell on a county fair ht Lena’s left arm at the elboith a tre apart froe splintered, the entire wooden stock asse from her own momentum, Ellie felt her boots skitter over snow humped atop old leaves and then her feet cut out froe’s barrel spun off like a discarded baton Crashing down hard on first her left ankle and then her hip, the blow knocked out her breath and sent an electric shock into the sue Retching, Ellie rolled onto her stomach The forest wavered and she had a brief second when she wondered if this hat happened before you passed out

There caathered herself Ellie looked up On her feet, only ten feet away, Lena swayed, her face a clench of fury and pain Her scarf dragged like the long, liue of a sick lizard Frorown a second elbow

With her good right hand, Lena picked up the bat

"I hate you," Ellie choked Tears strea" Her closet-voice was shrieking, Get up, Ellie, get up, get up! So asn’t she listening? Because she was on her belly Getting upher feet, and she was too furious and frightened to take her eyes froined was always scarier than as real Lena was already bad enough

But Ellie did one thing Her hand snuck into her pocket--and found her Leek The knife was slim and, with the blade folded away, only just filled her hand

Lena caht, You have to wind up Even for a swing like this, you’ll have to batter up

"I used to feel sorry for you" She had no idea where Dee was Since she wasn’t screa, maybe Dee had run off or fainted It didn’tthat did was this murderer who’d led the people-eaters to Eli and Roc; whose friends had burned Isaac’s barn and baby la, her sweet Mina, who’d been nothing but good, and as the very last tie to her daddy, the very last "I thought you were different But I hope Chris finds you," she said as she lost sight of Lena’s face because the girl was so very close What swaed-up bat, still dangling froht hand "I hope he kills you," she said to the bat "I hope Chris--"

The bat swung out of sight

Batter up Snapping the Leek’s blade home, Ellie threw her fist around and stabbed Very sharp and with that wonderful point so good for picking out fishing line, the blade drove into Lena’s calf just above her left boot, slicing fabric, then skin and meat Ellie rammed so hard and fast she felt the scrape of metal on bone

Lena screa wail Ellie just had the presence ofon and yank her knife free as Lena lurched back Not three inches from Ellie’s nose, the bat thudded to the earth Ellie ht Her hip and ankle didn’t like that, but tough Bawling, Lena was craht hand because her left arm was broken

Can’t run away now, can you? Ellie choked up on the bat Kill you One good swing

At that nition and astonish?spread over her face as she peered at soirl looked alain

"Ellie" The voice was close "Don’t do it"

"Why not?" Her voice sounded very strange Her gaze did not waver, but Lena did shilass suddenly separated the She took away my daddy I’m not such a little kid anymore, Chris"

"I know, Ellie," Chris said, "and I’m sorry about that"

"But I want to kill her"

"That’s why you shouldn’t"